In honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month,
American Mortgage Diversity Council Director Eileen Kornmeyer brings you profiles of recent promotions and hirings featuring women making a mark on the industry.
CBC Mortgage Agency [1], a national down payment assistance provider, announced that Tai Christensen has been promoted to the role of Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.
Previously serving as CBC's Director of Government Affairs, Tai Christensen attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and has 17 years’ experience in the mortgage industry. She began her career in 2003 as a contract loan processor for multiple mortgage brokerages in Salt Lake City. Most recently, she has become a national spokesperson for the UHOUSI Initiative, which is a plan that focuses on increasing sustainable homeownership within black and brown communities. Christensen has been featured on Fox Business News, as well as in articles from MReport, the Washington Post, Mortgage Professional America, Real Estate Weekly, as well as in several podcasts.
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Cherry Creek Mortgage [2], a nationwide, full-service mortgage lender, announced that Tara Healy, CMB, has been promoted to Chief Compliance Officer. She had been VP of Compliance.
Healy has 20 years of experience within the mortgage industry, with a special focus on originations, operations management, and compliance. Before joining Cherry Creek in 2016, Healy worked for 15 years at LenderLive, where she was most recently director of corporate compliance. Before that, she was Director of Operations and Operations Manager at LenderLive, the company founded by Rick Seehausen, who was named President and COO of Cherry Creek Holdings in December.
Healy is the youngest female president of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association and a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association's Legal Issues and Regulatory Compliance Committee. She was awarded the prestigious Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) designation in 2018.
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Laura Orcutt has joined Bell Bank as SVP/Director of Product, with oversight of strategy, development, and operational implementation of financial products. Orcutt offices at Bell Plaza in Bloomington and works across the company’s divisions and regions.
“We’re very proud to have Laura choose to join our team,” said Michael Solberg, Bell Bank President and CEO. “Her experience and insights, as well as her ability to collaborate with divisional and regional leaders, will help us continue to offer not only the personal service we’re known for, but also the tools and experiences our customers need to manage the financial services they use.”
Orcutt served in product management and treasury management with Wells Fargo for more than 30 years, with positions in treasury management operations, service and implementations, and technology. Most recently, she served as Wells Fargo’s EVP/Head of Treasury Management Product Services, leading a team that provided strategy, development, and technical consulting.
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Mid America Mortgage, Inc. [3] (Mid America) announced it has promoted former National Support and Training Director Jemma Pachiano to COO.
“Jemma Pachiano’s vast experience in the mortgage industry and keen ability to tackle even the most complex challenges have made a measurable impact on Mid America since 2011, which makes her an excellent fit for this role,” said Mid America Owner and CEO Jeff Bode. “As COO, Jemma’s solutions-based approach and know-how in regards to implementing more efficient processes, products, and systems will be instrumental in propelling Mid America’s growth and success through 2021 and beyond.”
Serving as a National Support and Training Director for nearly a decade, Pachiano helped Mid America Mortgage maintain a culture of consistent and open communication by liaising with its executive team, operations team, and branches. In addition, she spearheaded systems training on new vendor products, LOS upgrades, and company-wide initiatives related to process, policy, and product changes. Pachiano has increased efficiencies at the branch level by mentoring teams to improve file quality while keeping branch managers updated on their progress, areas of opportunity, and training.
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Would you like to learn more about how you can advance the conversation about diversity and inclusion within the mortgage industry? The American Mortgage Diversity Council [4] (AMDC) provides a platform for the collaboration of mortgage industry leaders for the advancement of D&I dialogue. The organization develops and provides tools and strategies to create an understanding and appreciation of individual differences in thought, experience, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, style, sexual orientation, and gender identity. To learn more about the AMDC, and how to join, click here [5] or on the banner below.
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